Paul prays first that the Ephesians would understand the greatness of the honor and glory God has destined for them, then the greatness of the power that will bring it to pass. But what kind of power is needed to bring these believers to their glorious inheritance? The same kind of power that was needed to bring Christ into possession of His glory. What did God do to bring Christ into possession of His glory, and how has He exalted Him? Our answer is found in this text.
Teaching Notes:
The Power of God in the Exaltation of Christ
Ephesians 1:19b-23
Intro: Last week we saw Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians. Consists of 2 requests: 1) that they would know the riches of the glory of the inheritance God has for them; 2) that they would know what is the surpassing greatness of God’s power toward them. How are these 2 requests connected? I believe they are connected like this: Paul prays first that they would understand the greatness of the honor and glory God has destined for them, then the greatness of the power that will bring it to pass. What kind of power is needed to bring them to their glorious inheritance? The same kind of power that was needed to bring Christ into possession of His glory. How did God do that? Our Answer is found in this text.
1. He Raised Him From The Dead: Christ had endured the ultimate humiliation. He was born in a manger to poor parents. He grew up in humble obscurity. When he became a man, he made his living as a simple carpenter. After beginning his ministry he was opposed by Satan, and the religious leaders. There were many threats on his life. Once they tried to throw him off a cliff. On other occasions they tried to stone him. They accused him of being born of fornication. The ultimate humiliation occurred when the Jewish leaders arranged to have him executed on a trumped up charge of inciting the people against the Roman government. He was slandered, lied about, spit on, slapped, scourged, mocked, despised, forsaken, and nailed to 2 cross beams. But when evil men had done their worst to Jesus, that’s when God stepped in to Honor His Son. The very first thing He did, was to raise Him from the dead. As if to say, you can shame and humiliate my son unto death, but I will have the last say!
2. He Seated Him at His Right Hand in the Heavenly Places: Jesus being at the “right hand” of God is mentioned 22 times in the NT! This is shorthand for the place of supreme honor. God can not honor His Son any more than seating Him at His right hand. This “seating” speaks of His coronation and enthronement as the King! Heb.2:9; 1Pet.1:10-11,21; Jn.17:5; Dan.7:13-14. God has honored His Son by exalting Him to the highest place in the Universe, to be adored and worshipped by His creatures forever!
Far above all rule and authority and power and dominion: not just “above”, but “far above.” This is the meaning of “exalt.” Nothing or no one in the universe can compare with His supreme authority! “rulers, authorities, powers” often refer to angelic beings, either holy or fallen: Eph.6:12; Col.2:15; 1Pet.3:22. Jesus has been exalted not only to the highest honor, but as the highest authority, far above every human and angelic being. Mt.28:18
And every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come: not only does Jesus possess the highest honor and authority, He has the highest name. And not only during this time period of the Church age, but even when human history has come to a close, and the Judgment has been executed, and there is only everlasting glory. Even in that future age, He will always have the Supreme Name! There will never arise another being with a greater Name than His. Phil.2:8-11. Rev.19:12,16.
3. He Put All Things in Subjection under His Feet: notice “all” and “every”. They occur 6 times in this passage. The first “all” of vs.21 refers to rule, authority, power and dominion. Paul is making plain that there is nothing, at all, anywhere that is not under His dominion. This includes animals, plants, tornadoes, tsunamis, hurricanes, volcanoes, earthquakes, all the heavenly bodies, planets and stars, all men good and bad (Pharoah, Nero, Alexander the Great, Hitler, Houssein, Obama), all angels good and bad (Michael and Gabriel, or Satan and all his demons). Nothing can happen at all anywhere in the Universe if King Jesus does not command or allow it. God has always exercised dominion, but since the resurrection, for the first time a Man is exercising dominion over all things. The God-Man, the Mediator, as the reward for His obedience unto death has been given sovereignty over all things. It is only right that since a Man was cruelly mistreated, rejected and killed, that this same Man should be given all Power and Honor to bring to pass God’s eternal plan. Ps.110:1; Ps.2:1-6.
4. He Gave Him As Head over all things to the Church: the phrase “head over all things” is saying the same thing as “He put all things in subjection under His feet”. But there is a new thought here. God gave Him as head over all things to the church! Notice Paul’s emphasis on the church here.
Which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all: Paul has been describing Christ in this entire section from 1:19-22. The last word in 1:21 is “church” and then 1:22 is devoted to describing the exalted place of the church. It is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. Why does Paul switch gears and change His focus from Christ to the church? I believe it is because he is getting around to the reason he has been showing us God’s Power in Exalting Christ. Remember 1:19a is Paul’s 2nd Prayer for the Ephesians. He wants them to know what is the riches of the glory of their eternal inheritance, and then he wants them to know the surpassing greatness of God’s power that will ensure they will enjoy that eternal inheritance. How does Paul demonstrate the surpassing greatness of God’s power? He shows God’s power on behalf of Christ, raising Him, seating Him, subjecting all others to Him, and giving Him as head to the church. But what is Paul’s point? What is His practical application?
Which is His body: Paul’s point is that the church is one with Christ, in the same way that a body is one with its head. If the Head rose victoriously over death, the devil, sin, hell, and the grave and is now seated as the Exalted Supreme One over all things at the right hand of God, and all this was done by the working of the strength of God’s might, don’t you know that the church, His body, will also experience the same thing? It is as good as done! We will receive the hope of our calling, the glory of the riches of our inheritance. Since the body is united to the Head, the body has the same destiny as the head! Christ will never be content, until His entire body is seated with Him at God’s right hand, at the place of honor in glory! Rev.3:21. But, how do we know for sure? Because it has already happened to us spiritually and positionally. We were dead – Eph.2:1. We were raised – Eph.2:4-5. We were seated – Eph.2:6. Since these things have happened on a spiritual plane, we know they will also take place on a physical plane.
To the church: in the Greek this is the dative case, which can be translated “to” or “for”. Many translate it as “to” like NASB, KJV, ESV, Youngs. But many new translations have “for” like NIV, NLT, NCV, Phillips, NRSV, RSV. If this was Paul’s meaning he would be saying that God gave Jesus as head over all things for the benefit of the church. Think of the life of Joseph: he was exalted from a dungeon in Egypt to the 2nd highest position in all the land. But he used his dominion to save and bless his family who would have starved to death. He brought them down to Egypt, provided richly all the food they needed and gave them the best of the land of Goshen. Gen.50:20 “you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.” Joseph preserved many people alive, chiefly, his family – 70 people who came down from Canaan. That was God’s primary purpose in this whole thing. So too Christ has suffered, died, risen, ascended, and sat down at God’s right hand for 1 primary reason – to save all those the Father had given Him – all those who would be adopted into His Father’s family and become His brothers. Joseph ruled with the good of his family in mind. Christ as the Supreme Lord rules today with the good of His church in mind. Jesus Christ uses all events, circumstances, creatures, men and angels to bring about His good pleasure for His chosen people. He overrules, restrains, and limits the wicked schemes of men and angels. But everything He causes or allows is ordained to bring good to His people. Rom.8:28.
How Should a Believer Respond to this Truth?
1) Give Christ the Supreme Place in Your Life: God has. So should you. Father exalted him far above all… Have you exalted Him far above everything else (work, money, friends, family, entertainment, pleasure, drugs, alcohol). Does He have the supreme place in your heart, affections, thoughts, actions, life? Is your relationship to Him the most important thing in your life? Are you seeking Him above all other things? Judas valued 30 pieces of silver more than his relationship to Christ. What about you? You can know the answer to these questions, but watching the decisions you make every day. They’ll tell you!
2) Enjoy the Privilege of Knowing Christ: when we were kids we would go to Candlestick Park to watch the S.F. Giants. Afterwards we would linger to see if we could get a glimpse of Mays, McCovey, Marichal, or Bonds as they drove out of the parking lot. Had a neighbor once who showed me with pride an autograph of Joe Louis. Sometimes people brag about having actually spoken with some famous actor or actress or politician. But this is nothing in comparison with our privilege. We don’t have just a glimpse, autograph or few words with a mere sinful mortal man. We have a personal relationship with the greatest person in the Universe. We are wedded to Him! Can’t conceive of a more intimate relationship possible. Are you enjoying that privilege and taking advantage of it? Cultivating it? Esteem it as a far more magnificent privilege or treat it as “ho-hum”?
3) Be Content: if we really believe God’s Word, we know that our lot in life has been ordained by Christ. Why do we grumble and complain? We are grumbling against Christ. We grumble about our jobs, our spouses, our kids, cars, homes, weather, lack of money, health. It’s sin! We are really shaking our fist at God and saying, “How dare you withhold what I deserve!” Have a friend who when someone asks her, “how are you doing?” always responds, “better than I deserve.” Anything that we have other than hell is better than we deserve. Let us be content.
4) Be Confident: Christ will bring us to heaven. We will be glorified together with Him. Nothing can keep it from coming to pass. If you are in Christ, you can never be lost, because Christ has all authority, and is reigning to bring you there. He can’t fail. Nothing can stop Him from fulfilling his sovereign purposes.
How Should An Unbeliever Respond To This Truth?
Tremble for your souls! Do you see that if you are saved, it won’t be because of your will, but His? Do you see that He is not in your hands to do with what you wil, but you are in His hands to do with what He wills? It’s not what you are going to do with Christ that is the important issue, but what Christ is going to do with you! Do you see that your only hope is sovereign mercy? Then cease looking to yourself, your will, your decision, your morality. Look to Him as a beggar to a King. Cry out to him like blind Bartimaeus did. Throw yourself upon His mercy. To throw yourself upon the mercy of the court means that you know you are guilty, but you are asking for mercy anyways. Humble yourself, call on the name of the Lord and trust Christ today!
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